Family To Me
by Pricat
Summary: Artie decides to remarry after his wife has just passed away but his daughter Ari isn't happy about having a new mother. But somebody is out for revenge. Can Shrek and the others help but show Ari that they'll be family to her and Artie?
1. Chapter 1

Family To Me

**A/N Hey guys here's my next fic. It's about Artie deciding to maybe get remarried but Ari isn't happy about having a new mother but also she's freaking out because her powers are getting stronger by the day. But Shrek and the others will help them realise that they're all family even if they're not related by birth.... I hope my two new reviewing friends like.**

**A few months later in Far, Far Away....**

_Artie smiled sadly as he was with Shrek and the others at the swamp. It was his twenty fourth birthday and everybody was in a good mood but Artie was feeling sad but hopeful. It'd been a few months since that odd meeting with Marissa but only Shrek knew about that fateful morning._

_"Make a wish senor!" Puss said laughing as Artie prepared to blow out the candles. _

_Fiona saw him smile at that._

_Ari was with Shrek's younger sister Uni. She was only fifteen but was having trouble fitting in with the family because of her magic but things were okay for now._

_They were chasing the triplets laughing and having fun._

_But Uni saw sadness in Arianna's eyes seeing Fiona with the triplets._

_"You still miss her huh?" Uni asked her._

_"Miss who?_

_I don't miss anybody." Ari said._

_"Okay Ari. It's okay to feel lonely. I felt like that when my parents..... left me but my foster parents took me in.... and now I have others who love me just as much." Uni told her joining her brother and the others._

_Artie saw the deep sadness in his daughter's eyes. _

_"Hey Artie what's wrong? " Shrek asked him as the triplets were playing with the Dronkeys._

_"It's nothing dude. Besides I don't want to ruin the mood._

_It's a party." Artie said looking up at the night sky._

_"Artie please." Shrek told him softly._

_"I'm worried about Arianna. She hasn't coped well with.... Marissa leaving us and I might.... want to remarry but I'm afraid about how she'll react to it. She's only fourteen._

_I don't want to hurt her." Artie answered sadly._

_"Artie.... it's not a bad idea to remarry if you wanna but maybe you should talk to Ari about it." Shrek said looking at the night sky._

_But somebody was watching them. He was jealous of what Shrek had....._


	2. Deciding To Love Again

Family To Me

**A/N Here's more. Thanks to Hanny Spoon for reviewing. I know some people are confused by why I made Artie older, it's okay. If you want to, imagine he's twenty one instead if that makes you happier. I hope you enjoy!**

Artie woke up in his room. He'd been dreaming about when he and Marissa had been together and had been husband and wife. He'd been able to move on with what happened but felt a gaping void in his heart. He knew he would have to find somebody to be his Queen and Ari's mother.

"_I know you would want me to do this Marissa but I'm worried. What if I choose the wrong person?_

_This could be a mistake." _he thought looking at the sunrise.

It looked beauitful. He got dressed in his usual brown jersey and had returned to having his normal brown hair.

He yawned going into the dining room. Lillian was there drinking tea.

"Morning Artie.

How did you sleep?" she asked as she saw Harold join her at the table.

"Good I guess.

Can I ask you something? Something important's been on my mind recently and I wanted to consult with you guys before doing this." Artie answered her softly.

"Sure Artie go ahead." Harold encouraged his nephew.

"Well since Marissa died, I haven't felt the same and neither has Ari so I was thinking of remarrying.

That way the kingdom will have a queen again and Ari will have a mother again.

I know this is what the both of us need and.... Marissa would want me to.

But I don't want to tell Ari yet, okay?" Artie answered sombrely.

Harold understood how he was feeling as well as Lillian.

"Whatever you decide, we're happy." Harold said.

Ari was with Uni in the forest hanging out. They had became firm friends since they first met while stopping the Fairy Godmother. But Ari still looked like an ogre on the outside but it didn't really matter to her. Uni had longer black hair with blue goggles on her head and wore a style of fashion which was punk rock. She still had her Ogreix magic and used it even though her brother Shrek told her not to and to be careful who knew but Artie was the same with Ari.

"How's your Dad, you know after..... last night? I saw Shrek talking to him and I know what they were talking about but I sort of promised I wouldn't tell." Uni told her.

The triplets were hanging out at Donkey's so it was just her and Ari.

"Hey watch this!" Uni said as magic glowed in her hazel eyes and dragon wings spurted from her back as she rose into the air and hovered above the top of a tree.

"Cool!

How did you do that?

Won't Shrek freak if he finds out or somebody sees you?" Ari asked in awe.

"He won't mind. Besides you could fill a book with what he doesn't know, maybe two. To make dragon wings, focus your magical energy and think of flying and being in the air.

I did this by accident the other night in my room but made them disappear because Fiona came in." Uni replied smiling.

Unlike her brother, Uni was spirited and free but wild. She had a kind heart and a sharp mind but noble and caring.

It was what Ari liked about her.

Meanwhile Artie was in town walking when he saw somebody that made him stare in awe. She was being chased by hunters and she seemed scared. She had short brown hair, green eyes like his but fair skinned and had a hint of magic in her.

"Hey leave her alone!

What did she ever do to you?" Artie yelled at them.

"She's a witch, an enchantrsss like the one that nearly destroyed our kingdom." they answered. But Artie didn't see evil in her, just goodness and light like with Marissa.

"I'm sorry but your King commands you to let her go!" Artie demanded.

The woman watched as the hunters dropped their pitch forks and ran off.

"T-Thank you. You're so kind for a king.

My name is Kera. I have been all alone since..... my husband died of illness.

I've been wanting to remarry but most of the men in this kingdom are jerks if you know what I mean.

What about you?" she replied softly.

"I-I'm Artie. I had a wife but she...... passed away from illness too. But even though I've moved on, I along with my daughter Arianna Pendragon have felt this gaping void in our lives.

I want to remarry but I want to make sure it's the right person and I..... don't know but maybe you could..... be the one." Artie explained softly.

He saw Uni flying around and sighed.

"I-I'd better go.

I'll see you later, okay?" he said blushing.

"Sure Artie I'd like that...." Kera said smiling watching him leave.

Sh felt warm inside like when she'd been with her husband.

It was Love.....


	3. A Midnight Proposal

Family To Me

**A/N Here's more. I hope you like!**

Shrek noticed Artie was very quiet as he showed up at the swamp later. He had no clue about what Uni had been doing all day. She'd meant to be in school but she kept not going. He wondered what was on his friend's mind. He had a feeling it was about Love.

"I.... sort of met somebody. Her name is Kera. She seems nice and so great. I think she'd make a great Queen and a great mother to Ari but...." Artie answered him.

"But what Artie?" Shrek asked but was distracted hearing Uni laugh as she showed up hours later.

"Where're you been?

I was nearly gonna have to search for ya." Shrek asked her.

He had his hands full at the minute not just with his own kids but with Uni. She was rebellious and spoke whatever came into her fertile mind.

"I was fine.

I was with Ari." Uni answered. Shrek sighed at that. He knew she'd missed school again.

"Could you go help Fiona?

I need to talk with Artie." he told her.

"Fine!" Uni yelled going into the swamp house.

"Wow she's in a bad mood huh?" Artie said nearly changing the subject.

"Forget about Uni for the minute.

What were you gonna say?" Shrek told him.

"I want to marry her but I'm worried about Ari and how she'll react to Kera in her life. I know she's finding it hard to deal with since she and Marissa weren't that close like she is with me. Also she's been running wild with Uni.

Maybe Kera would be good for her." Artie answered.

"Don't worry Artie.

I'm sure she'll take the news well. Doesn't Kera have magic?

It would be good for Ari because she's always around Merlin and having a Mom with magic would be easier.

Have you told her yet?" Shrek replied.

"No not yet.

I'll take things one step at a time." Artie said leaving.

They were unaware that somebody was watching them. It was a girl the same age as Arianna but had revenge in her eyes and mind.

She had long yellow hair like her mother Rapunzel's, slender and wore a yellow dress.

She was Charming's daughter and was angry at Shrek and the others for destroying her family.

She'd promised her father Prince Charming she would avenge him.

But she had something her parents ddn't.

Magical gifts.

She'd powers like Charming's mother the Fairy Godmother but couldn't control them fully.

She wore a hooded cloak to disguise herself.

"Soon you and your family will pay, I swear it!" she hissed as her lavender eyes glowed with magic.

Her name was Brianna and she was alone in the world. She went to the same school as Uni but nobody paid any attention to her and thought she was a freak.

Lillian and Harold were thrilled as Artie told them what had happened. He was meeting Kera later that night.....

Ari scowled seeing her father go out of the castle later that night.

_"Where is he going? I would ask Uncle Harold but he and Aunt Lillian probably won't tell me_." she thought as she went back into her room.

Artie smiled as he and Kera were lying on the soft grass looking at the night sky.

They were feeling good.

Artie then saw the look on Kera's face when he showed her the ring.

"Will you be my Queen and wife and mother to my daughter Arianna? For a while my life has felt sad until we crossed paths. For some unknown reason Fate is letting me be in Love again." Artie said to her.

"Yes I will Artie!" she said kissing him.

He felt good at that, like a new beginning......


	4. Moving Into the Family

Family To Me

**A/N Here's a bit more. Now that Artie's asked her to marry him, Kera moves into the castle but Ari still doesn't know.**

Lillian smiled seeing Artie come back to the castle at dawn with Kera. She looked amazing and understood what it was about her Artie liked but she wondered if Ari knew this was happening, that her father was remarrying.

"No she doesn't. I know you think I'm being secretive but it's better if she doesn't know yet.

She'd not take the news well." he answered softly as Ari was woken up by laughter.

She came out of her room wearing a blue night dress.

"Who's that laughing? It can't be Dad.

He hasn't laughed since Mom left us." she told herself going downstairs.

She heard laughter come from the throne room and approached the door about to open it.

"Ari let's.... leave your father alone for a while.

He's with a friend." Merlin told her as they went to the dining room.

Lillian saw curiousness in Ari's eyes and had a feeling Artie and Kera woke her up.

"What's going on that I can't go into the throne room huh?" she asked hoping to get an answer.

"..... Umm he's busy. You can go in later, okay?

Just not now." Harold told her.

Ari nodded as she ate.

She wondered what her father was hiding that he wouldn't tell her. She then left to wander the kingdom like she always did. Artie never knew she did that when Merlin wasn't teaching her new spells. Her only friend was Uni. But today she wasn't at the swamp. Shrek had made her go to school today. She felt even more lonely.

She then saw a broken tree and her eyes glowed with magic as she began healing it using a healing spell Merlin had taught her. Brianna was watching curiously. She had no idea that Artie's daughter was like her with magical gifts.

"_So she has powers like her dead mother eh? She could be a powerful ally if I got her to help me take over._

_But why does she look like an ogre?"_ Brianna told herself. She then saw Uni come running and hid.

"Hey Ari you okay?

You.... seem sad." she asked her.

"It's nothing Uni.

Really." Ari replied sighing.

"_She must already know!_

_Her Dad must've told her eariler. I feel so sorry for her._

_But it's not all that bad."_ she thought.

"My Dad's hiding something from me and he won't tell me what it is and Aunt Lillian or Uncle Harold won't tell me either!" Ari said as magic blazed in her eyes.

"_So Artie hasn't told her yet._

_Maybe he'll tell her later."_ Uni thought as she and Ari used their magic to fool around.

Brianna then snuck out of there and out of the forest. She then saw somebody waiting for her. It was Morgan.

"You ready to join me?" Brianna asked her.

"Yes but what's in it for me?" the black haired soceroress asked Charming's daughter.

"You'll help me take over the kingdom and get to destroy Artie and his new wife but his daughter shows promise with her magic." Brianna answered her.

Morgan smiled at Brianna's words.

"Fine. You're better than your father. He was a loser." Morgan told her smiling evilly at the promise of dethroning her brother Artie.

Kera saw fear in Artie's eyes as he prepared to tell Ari the news. She knew that he was worried about telling her that he had remarried.

"Don't worry she'll be fine. She's like you.

Besides she may look like an ogre on the outside but she's still our daughter." Kera told him.

He nodded softly.

Merlin saw Ari come back into the castle with Uni. He knew that Ari would probably get mad after Artie told her the big news.

"Maybe you should stay Uni.

With the news Artie's going to tell her, Ari's going to need you." he told her.

"Ari your father's expecting you in the throne room.

He has something important to tell you." Merlin said to her. Arianna then went to the throne room and went inside. Artie was waiting there for her but she wondered who the woman was with him was.

"Ari this is Kera. She's.... going to be your new mother.

I'm remarrying." Artie said as Ari's eyes darkened. Artie sighed at that as she ran out of there.

Merlin sighed as he saw Ari run out of there. He had a feeling she'd be angry at her father's news.

Uni then went after her....


	5. Running Away

Family To Me

**A/N Now that Ari knows, she's trying to deal with the news. But there's something that Shrek's hiding from Uni because he wants to protect her since they're siblings. **

Ari kept running through the forest with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe her Dad would remarry another woman after what happened to her Mom. Uni felt sorry for her friend as she saw her climb into a tree house that her brother had built as a child.

"Ari you okay?

I'm sorry he hurt you with the news. This was the secret my brother and Artie were talking about.

Maybe that's why he waited until now to tell you." she said but no reply.

Uni sighed as she went back to the swamp. She saw worry in Shrek's hazel eyes. She wondered what was going on but he wouldn't tell her. Fiona knew but had promised Shrek to keep it a secret.

Uni's foster father wanted her back but he was the reason Uni's mother had sent her here.

She'd never seen him so worried before. He couldn't sleep that night because he was remembering when Uni had first came to the swamp. He'd hidden the reason why from the others but to him, it was like Uni had forgotten.

_It'd been a stormy night at the swamp as Uni approached the door. She had wounds, bruises and cuts over her slender body. She had a letter in her hand for Shrek. It was from her foster mother explaining what made her come here and how they were siblings._

_The door opened as she heard somebody gasp._

_It was Shrek._

_"What in the heck happened to you kid? You look like you've been through heck and back._

_What's your name?" he said to her._

_"U-Uniquis but others call me Uni." the thirteen year old said as she fainted. He then carried her inside and laid her near the fire. _

_For some reason, he felt like he knew her especially as she took the letter and read it._

_He gasped in shock._

_"So you're my estranged sister?_

_I'll protect ya no matter what._

_I promise." he whispered...._

He then got out of bed and opened the door to Uni's room softly. She was sleeping peacefully with the goggles over her hazel eyes. He put a hand to her long hair and stroked it softly. There was no way he was letting Uni's foster father get his hands on her again.

He then left softly as he went back to his and Fiona's room.

Artie was worried the next morning when he woke up and went downstairs. He was expecting Ari to be there because he wanted to talk to her but she wasn't in the dining room but Harold and Lillian were.

"Have you seen Ari?

She didn't come home last night after she.... found out my news.

I'm really worried." Artie said, sadness in his emerald eyes. Kera understood his pain.

"Don't worry we'll find her, I promise.

Maybe I should use my magic to locate her since I can pick up her aura." she said as her eyes glowed with magic seeing where Ari was.

"She's in a treehouse in the forest..... near a swamp." Kera told him.

"Thanks I need to talk to her." Artie replied kissing her.

Artie then smiled as he approached the swamp. He hoped he could talk to Ari about Kera as he climbed up the tree and entered the tree house.

But instead of finding Ari, he found a note and read it.

Shrek saw tears fall from Artie's emerald eyes as he re read the letter. He then hugged him.

"Dont worry she'll understand sooner or later. Besides I need to talk to you about something.

It involves Uni." he reassured him.

Uni wondered what was wrong.

"Ari.... She went back to Worchester to be with Lorian and her grandfather Merlin.

I never meant to hurt her." Artie said sadly but she saw red rims around her brother's eyes.

"_That's odd he never cries about anything._

_Something's wrong." _she thought as she went to have breakfast......


End file.
